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CLEVELAND (AP) - High radiation levels recorded last week at a nuclear reactor in northeastern
Ohio have prompted a special inspection by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Workers at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant immediately evacuated on Friday when radiation levels
rose while the plant was in the process of shutting down to refuel, the commission said
yesterday.

Plant officials do not think workers were exposed to radiation levels "in excess of NRC limits,"
the commission said.

"The plant is in a safe condition and there has been no impact to workers at the plant or
members of the public from this issue," the commission said in a statement.

The commission did not say how high the radiation levels were or how often such inspections
occur.

The nuclear plant, owned by Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp., is about 35 miles northeast of
Cleveland and began operating in 1987. A FirstEnergy spokesman did not return a request for comment
after business hours yesterday.

Radiation levels rose while workers were removing a monitor that measures nuclear reactions
during start-up, low-power operations and shutdown, the commission said.

NRC investigators began inspecting the plant on Monday. The investigation will determine whether
worker performance might have contributed to the incident and evaluate the level of radiation
exposure to workers.